The best men's underwear you can buy

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The Insider Pick:

If there’s one article of clothing that you ought to care about, it’s your underwear. Our top pick is the Tommy John collection because you can choose from many different styles of underwear and all of them are seriously comfortable.

You probably don’t give as much thought to your bottom layer as you do to your top layers, but really, you should. Guys, we’re talking about underwear here — that all-important article of clothing that needs to be as comfortable for lounging about as it does for a long day of meetings. Luckily, there are plenty of companies these days hoping to make your underwear buying experience as easy and comfortable as the underwear itself.

Even if you prefer to buy other articles of clothing in shrink-wrapped packs of three, you’ll probably want to give a bit more thought to how you purchase your skivvies. After all, nothing can ruin your day quite as well as an uncomfortable pair of boxers, briefs, or something in between. When making that all-important decision about where to swipe your credit card, you’ll want to keep a few things in mind.

First and foremost, what kind of guy are you? Do you opt for trunks, briefs, boxers, or something else altogether? Regardless of what you choose, you’ll certainly be able to find something that suits your needs.

You’ll also want to keep material in mind. While white cotton may have been the name of the game when you were a kid, the underwear industry has changed, and so have you. Now, you can have underwear made of “non-pilling” micro modal fabric. You may not know what that means, but all you need to know is that it’s really comfortable.

And although this may be the least of your concerns, please do consider prints and patterns. Before you write this off as something that “only the ladies” are worried about, let me point out (as a lady myself) that you’re likely not the only person to ever see your unmentionables. So if you want to get a good laugh (in a good way), you may consider a rather surprising design or color combination.

In any case, regardless of what underwear you choose from our favorite underwear purveyors, we’re confident that you’ll be well taken care of.

Although Tommy John makes our favorite underwear, you might also like Bonobos for unparalleled fit, Rhone for an active lifestyle, MeUndies for the most exciting prints, and Gap for affordability.

The best underwear overall

You’ll never truly get underwear that is 100% customized to your body, but with Tommy John's underwear, you may just feel like they were custom made for you.

While you may be familiar with the typical brief, boxer brief, and boxer options when it comes to underwear, Tommy John actually sells a total of five different fits so you can choose the underwear that works best for your body.

Tommy John offers boxer briefs, relaxed fit boxers, trunks, a square cut, and briefs. All of the styles are designed to move with your body without any need for adjustments. The inseams range from eight inches (longer than most) all the way down to zero. But because there’s so much variation, it’s more likely that you’ll be able to find a pair of Tommy Johns that suit your body type and your preferences.

There are also five different proprietary fabrics to choose from, including the luxuriously soft Second Skin, the moisture-wicking Cool Cotton, the lightweight Air, the anti-microbial 360 Sport, and the everyday Go Anywhere fabric.

Additionally, Tommy John has a contour pouch that “promises to keep everything in place and prevent the wearers from making unnecessary adjustments." The company is also proud to boast a no wedgie guarantee. I will say that my proxy reviewer (the boyfriend) backed up these claims in his own testing.

And it’s not just the boyfriend who has given his stamp of approval to this underwear. No fewer than 1,500 reviewers on the Tommy John website have said some variation of “these are the most comfortable underwear ever.”

The underwear with the most careful fit

Bonobos

Why you'll love it: If you think you should buy your underwear like you buy your pants, Bonobos is for you.

Bonobos has only been offering underwear for a matter of months, but already, the company’s decision to make even the smallest of clothes with the same level of detail used in big(ger ticket) items has paid off.

You see, when you order your boxer briefs or trunks from Bonobos, you’re not asked whether you’re a Small, a Medium, or a Large. Rather, you’re asked for your waist size. After all, why should buying your underpants be any different from buying your pants?

As a result of this exacting sizing, Bonobos underwear really do fit in a more exacting way. Sure, this is probably particularly beneficial for a few guys who are right in between sizes, but even if you’re generally fine with the generic sizes, there’s no reason to forego customization if it’s staring you in the face.

In addition to the superior fit of Bonobos, these boxer briefs and trunks also offer something that most others don’t — a seamless look. As Men’s Journal noted (and my boyfriend helped me verify), “there’s no danger of having that annoying line showing through a pair of slim-cut trousers where these boxer briefs end, the way there can be with some other brands.”

Thanks to the cotton, acrylic, and spandex, material combination, this underwear cuts a sleek profile while wicking away sweat. Plus, there’s a roll-proof waistband and a few mesh panels that facilitate airflow where you need it.

It took Bonobos a total of 15 months to perfect their underwear, and suffice it to say, practice makes perfect.

Pros: Carefully engineered fit, no show design, great airflow, and say goodbye to rolling waistbands

The best underwear for athletes

Rhone

Why you'll love it: If you’re a guy on the go, the underwear from athletic company Rhone may just catch your eye.

While Rhone isn’t in and of itself an underwear company, that seems to work for and not against the brand. Perhaps known best for its Gold Fusion technology, which as The Manual said, “set the standard for men’s activewear,” Rhone’s underwear is meant for athletes. And it lives up to its expectations.

I figured that Rhone knew what it was doing when it came to making garments for under your clothes given how popular its lined shorts air. New York Magazine calls the company’s Swift lined shorts “a revelation,” noting that the built-in boxer briefs felt “incredible.” And now, you don’t have to don a pair of running shorts every time you want to wear comfortable boxer briefs.

Rhone has exactly two options available on its website, which means that you won’t run into any paradox of choice problems. You can either opt for the 5-inch Rhone Boxer Brief, which as you might imagine, has a 5-inch inseam, or the 5-inch SeaCell Boxer Brief.

The Rhone Boxer Brief is perhaps the more straightforward pair. They’re lightweight and, as my proxy reviewers attested, extremely comfortable. There’s also what Rhone calls “a carefully engineered 'rocket pocket' with a seamless fly opening,” which also seems to be a big hit in the household. A happy customer called these boxers the “Best underwear on the market,” and another said he would be ordering additional pairs.

The SeaCell Boxer Brief makes a bit bigger of a promise, with its SeaCell technology. This material purports to integrate seaweed into its fibers and is said to transfer Vitamin E and other nutrients to the skin. While we can’t vouch for that claim, the boxers are just as comfortable as the alternative.

Pros: Comfortable even during runs or workouts, and straightforward options means you won’t waste time on inconsequential considerations

Cons: One reviewer noted that the fit wasn’t quite as true as other Rhone products

The most memorable underwear

MeUndies

Why you'll love it: If you’re looking to make an impression with your underwear, you’re going to want to go with MeUndies.

MeUndies has long hung its hat on how comfortable its boxers, briefs, and boxer briefs are, and while they’re certainly extremely wearable, what really sets MeUndies apart is its whimsical approach to this aspect of your wardrobe. After all, they’re just underwear — why not have some fun?

Yes, MeUndies are constructed with Lenzing Modal, a naturally soft, breathable, and eco-friendly fabric made sourced from Austrian beech trees. And yes, my boyfriend often comments that he has forgotten that he’s wearing underwear. Ask Men has also noted that they “don’t know what [they] did before these things.” But really, if you’re opting for MeUndies, it’s because you have a fantastic sense of humor.

For guys in relationships, grabbing a pair of matching underwear is never a bad idea for a last minute gift. I’m sure that somewhere, someone has said that the couple that buys Birds Down Under panties and boxers together, stays together. But even if you’re not looking to show your affection for your partner, you can show potential partners that you have quite the personality by donning a pair of say, Hoop There It Is briefs, or Go Bananas trunks (and yes, the former has basketballs and rings splashed across the fabric, while the latter features half-peeled bananas).

And while MeUndies may not feature quite as wide of a selection in terms of style as Tommy John, it still gives you four options — boxers, briefs, boxer briefs, and trunks — all of which have been dubbed “so freakin’ comfy” by folks over at Buzzfeed.

Pros: Truly hilarious variety of prints, a decent number of styles, and the option for subscribe for a new pair every month

The best men's underwear under $15

GAP

Why you'll love it: Underwear doesn’t have to cost as much as dinner and a movie, and Gap is here to prove it.

Sometimes, you just want to go back to basics. These boxers probably take up the most real estate in my boyfriend’s drawer, and despite my best efforts to introduce him to other brands, it seems that there’s a reason that the Gap is a true mainstay.

These underwear are accessible in every sense of the word. You can buy them in stores or online, they’re $15 a pair when they’re not on sale, and frankly, they’re perfectly comfortable, too. Sure, they may not have all the fancy materials or carefully engineered features that other companies purport to integrate into their underwear, but when push comes to shove, Gap gets the job done.

With nearly 50 years of experience under its belt, there’s no denying that Gap knows what it’s doing. Folks seem particularly taken with the 5-inch breathe boxers, which buyers have called “second to none.” As one kind wife noted, “My hubby loves, loves, loves these! Super soft and super comfortable. He told me to toss his others and just buy these from now on!”

The folks over at the Underwear Expert agreed, polling one happy camper who said, “I only wear Gap boxers. I’ve worn them for many years. I like the way they feel, they’re affordable.”

Really, what more could you want?

Pros: Affordable, dependable, and available for purchase both in-stores and online

Cons: Some reviewers noted that the boxer briefs are not extremely supportive

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